Binding Old Wounds
by Kismet2
Summary: The sequel to my story Darkness Unraveled. The morning after. Will Anakin choose to stay with Padme?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimers: You know, the usual, Lucas owns everything, I own nothing. Sadly.  
  
Author's note: This story is the sequel to Darkness Unraveled. It takes place the morning directly after the events of Darkness Unraveled. I swear this story wrote itself. I wasn't even going to write a sequel, but I finished the first one and this damn plot bunny wouldn't quit hopping around in my head (figuratively speaking, of course). Please review!  
  
Upon waking the next morning, Padme Skywalker was surprised to find herself lying on her back, a man's arm wrapped over her waist. She tensed for a moment, before awareness of the previous night's events set in. She collapsed back onto the pillows with a sigh of contentment. She remembered how Anakin had showed up, intent on screwing her and then leaving, again.  
  
But in the throes of passion, something changed in him. And he hadn't left. He'd stayed the night, literally taking her suggestion and holding on to her. Throughout the whole night. They'd had sex twice more. Anakin had done it desperately, as if he was a man thirsting to death and Padme was the only thing that could quench his thirst. The second and third times had also been like the first earlier in the night, in that things were a bit rough. She winced at a twinge of pain in her hip as she shifted, then looked down and saw the source. On each hip were five identical bruises, left by Anakin's fingertips as he'd grasped her hips to thrust into her. ~ Of course, ~ she thought, ~ It wasn't as if I didn't respond just as eagerly. ~  
  
She rolled to her side to survey the beautiful man lying naked beside her; the sheets tangled at his feet- and saw the evidence of her own fervor the previous night. Thin, bloody furrows ran down Anakin's bare back, a few down to the top of his buttocks. Padme winced again, remembering vaguely how she'd scraped her nails down his back in the midst of a powerful climax. She brought one hand over to gently stroke his back, wishing she could erase the marks there, as well as those on his soul. Anakin had caused her a great amount of hurt in the past, but she knew the pain he'd felt in his life was infinitely larger. She wanted to help heal that torment in him. But that would take time, and right now she at least help heal the wounds on his back.  
  
Slowly she eased out of bed so not to wake Anakin, pulling on her robe that lay on a nearby chair. She walked into the 'fresher, opened one of the cabinets, and pulled out a small emergency med kit. But she had one thing to do before she could go take care of Anakin. She went to the sitting room, where the communications system was. She paused for a minute to gather her courage, then opened a link to the Jedi Temple.  
  
Long minutes later, she then padded softly back into the bedroom, holding the kit, along with a wet washcloth. Stopping by the edge of the bed, she knelt down so she was level with Anakin. She opened her mouth to speak to him, then stopped, having thought of a better way to wake him. Her lips met his gently. Even though still asleep, he responded.  
  
Anakin was sleeping peacefully. The first truly peaceful slumber he'd had in a very long time. Now he woke to the feel of Padme's lips on his. Unlike Padme, he remembered the previous night's events clearly as soon as he awoke. His eyes opened to a sight he'd once thought he'd never see again: Padme kneeling by his bedside, her fingers playing gently over the back of his neck. She wore a pale purple robe that fell to mid-thigh, and her thick chocolate-colored hair hung to her waist in loose ringlets. She was so beautiful it hurt. Despite all he'd done, here was this angel, who remained by his side. She smiled at him, "Good morning."  
  
Slowly, hesitantly, he smiled back. "Morning." Then, a memory from last night surfaced: Padme, crying out as he'd pushed her up against the wall. This time, he didn't shove the thought aside. "I didn't..hurt you last night, did I?" he asked, concern tingeing his voice. She smirked. "Nooooo, but I think I might have hurt you though."  
  
He was relieved and puzzled at the same time. He started to sit up. "What do you mean- he stopped, his breath catching a little at the sudden stinging in his back. Padme laughed, saying, "Your back's scratched up. I guess I got a bit enthusiastic in the middle of...things. Sorry about that." Gingerly, he sat all the way up, then his intense blue eyes met hers. "It's alright. I've felt worse." He gestured to his other arm, the mechanical one, now covered in synth-skin. Technology had advanced in the last couple of years, and now, not only did Anakin's prosthetic arm look and (for the most part) feel like a real arm, it also allowed him to feel sensation through it (A/N: Like Luke's prosthetic hand in Return of the Jedi).  
  
"Glad to know I didn't damage the goods too badly," she joked. "But," and her face grew more serious, "Let's see if I can't make it feel a bit better. Now lay back down." "Okay." Sliding onto the bed, she moved until she was kneeling beside him. She took the washcloth, and as gently as she could, began to clean the wounds. Then, opening the med kit, she took out a bottle of antiseptic.  
  
"Okay, I'm going to put the antiseptic on now. Sorry if this hurts a little." With that, she began to dab it on the scratches. Anakin hissed in a breath, startled by the disinfectant's intense sting. She finished as quickly as she could, then brought out one last thing from the med kit, an antibiotic ointment that had a mild pain reliever in it. This she squeezed out onto her fingers, and began to rub soothingly onto the lacerations on his back, all the while trying to figure out how to bring up the pressing matter at hand. She decided to just come right out and say it.  
  
"Anakin, there's something, a couple things actually, that we need to talk about."  
  
"Go on." he prodded, apprehension tinting his voice.  
  
"I need to know if this is for real. If it's permanent. Are you staying?"  
  
"Padme, I-  
  
"Wait, there's more. This morning, before you woke up I contacted the Jedi Temple and talked to Obi-Wan."  
  
A/N: To be continued.... 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey guys. Here's the conclusion of this series. Sorry it's taken so long to get it posted, but between a hella hectic senior year and the mad case of writer's block I was struck with, "Binding" just kinda fell by the wayside. My apologies. Hope you enjoy the last part. Happy reading. =)  
  
She saw him stiffen in shock, but she continued. "I told him that you came back last night. And that I think that things have changed. I know that you've changed. I felt it even before you buried your head in my shoulder and told me you were sorry. Obi-Wan was so overwhelmed. He dismissed himself from in front of the holovid for a couple of minutes. When he came back, I could tell he'd been crying." At this, he twisted his body to face her. "What?!" he asked in surprise.  
  
"Obi-Wan loves you," she replied, "As if you were his own son. He was so hurt when you went over to the Dark Side." She looked down, and whispered softly, "As was I. But then again, I know it wasn't easy for you either."  
  
Anakin opened his mouth to speak, but she silenced him by putting two fingers against his full lips. "Ani, neither one of us has had an easy life, but compared to you, mine's been paradise." Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued. "There's been so much pain in your past, and I know I haven't always made an effort to help you through it. In fact, I've probably been a contributor. I've always made it clear that my senatorial obligations came first, and you were always, always second. I've pushed you away so many times. And in that, I probably helped push you to the Dark Side. For that, I'm truly sorry." She met his eyes and saw her tears mirrored there. "But I love you. By the gods, I love you so much, and I don't want to lose you again."  
  
When she stopped Anakin turned back around, processing the things she'd said, his shoulders sagging. Then he began to speak his voice husky with emotion. "You're so amazing. Even after everything I've done. Please don't take the blame for all those things. I chose the Dark Side, not you, no matter what happened between us." His voice quivered as the tears threatened to spill over. Gently, Padme pulled him into her arms. He remained there for a minute, allowing her comfort to seep in through his skin, before pulling back to meet her eyes. "Force, I love you more than anything in this universe. But I don't know if I can be the man that you want me to be. When I look at you and Obi-Wan, I know that you're both such good people. It's apparent in everything you do. I'm not Padme. I know I'm not. I'm a jerk. I'm rash, and bad-tempered, and impatient, and selfish. Force Padme, the things that I did to those Tuskan Raiders. That I've done since then.. That's why I went to the Dark Side in the first place. I thought that nothing I could ever do would make me what you and Master Obi- Wan are, no matter how hard I tried. But." It was then that he felt the fine trembling that was beginning to shake he small frame.  
  
Padme felt herself beginning to become hysterical. She couldn't handle losing him. Not this time. Not ever again. She took a deep breath, trying ineffectively to stop the involuntary tremors that were shaking her body. "Ani- people aren't born perfect. I'm not this intrinsically good person that does everything right all the time. Neither is Obi-Wan for that matter. But we try, that's what makes us what we are. You're not evil Anakin. I know that if-  
  
She was again halted in her speech when Anakin, like he had the previous night, placed a hand over her mouth. But this time, instead of the roughness, and the lust tipped with rage, she felt nothing in his touch but love. He spoke. "That's what I'm trying to tell you Pad. I don't want to be on the Dark Side. Not if you're not there. All those months of trying to embrace that part of myself fully, trying to let go of everything else. And I almost did. Except- I couldn't let go of you." When he began, he had shifted his hand to her cheek. Now he let his hand slowly trail down her body. "Like I said, I don't know if I can be the man you want me to be. But I want to try." As he spoke, he continued to trail his hand down her body. Padme was smiling at him now, as joy and relief flooded her body. Leaning forward, she brushed her lips against his in a gentle, chaste kiss, full of promise for what was to come. Anakin, for his part, continued to glide his hand down to her belly- and abruptly stopped. Through the Force, he felt a tugging, as one, no two sparks of life flared under his hand.  
  
She was startled when he suddenly pulled back from the kiss, his eyes searching her face for.something. "What?! Anakin is it?!" He looked back down at her belly, then raised two wide, wonder-struck eyes back up to her face. "Padme- you're pregnant."  
  
A/N: Well. That was certainly not what I originally intended for this story. I swear this story took on a life of it's own. I'm just the channel that it flowed through. When my writer's block finally went away, that is. I was going to conclude it with another love scene, but this little cliff- hanger just sort of sprung up. I'm thinking on leaving it this way. What do you guys think? 


End file.
